Unit:
Faculty of MedicineLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Birtsas Vassilios
Dissertation committee:
Αθανάσιος Τσακρής, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Βασιλική Γεννηματά, Ομ. Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ιωάννης Ρούτσιας, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Γεωργία Βρυώνη, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Κλειώ Αναστασοπούλου, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ιωσήφ Παπαπαρασκευάς, Αναπληρώτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Θεόδωρος Πιτταράς, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Πολυμορφισμοί αλληλόμορφων MICA στον ελληνικό πληθυσμό
Translated title:
Distribution of MICA allele polymorphisms in Greek population
Summary:
Introduction: The Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I-related chain A gene (MICA) is a highly polymorphic functional gene located close to the HLA-B locus. Certain MICA alleles have been related to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases while MICA antibodies have been implicated in organ allograft rejection or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the frequencies of MICA alleles and MICA ~ HLA-B haplotypes in the Greek population since, as far as we know, these data are still limited.
Methods: DNA was obtained from 277 unrelated healthy Greek individuals of Caucasian origin, volunteer donors of blood stem cells. HLA-B* and MICA* genotyping was performed by reverse PCR-SSOP.
Results: A total of 18 MICA alleles were defined in the present study. The five most frequent alleles in the Greek population were MICA*008 (24.6%), MICA*009 (22.36%), MICA*018 (16.03%), MICA*002 (8.02%) and MICA*004 (7.17%) which altogether account for 77.8% of all alleles. The most common MICA ~ HLA-B haplotypes were MICA*018 ~ B*18 (12.5%) and MICA*009 ~ B*51(11.5%).
Conclusions: The five most frequent MICA alleles in the Greek population were *008, *009, *018, *002, *004. In other Caucasian populations, two of these alleles (*008, and *004) were observed in similar frequencies. MICA*002 was observed less frequently (8.02%) in the Greek population compared to other Caucasian groups (frequencies >15%). Also, MICA*009 and MICA*018 had elevated frequencies (above 15%) whereas in other Caucasian populations they were found around 10% or less. These data may be important for the elucidation of the role that MICA polymorphisms play in organ and stem cell transplantation and to identify the relation of certain MICA with susceptibility to specific diseases.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
MICA, Polymorphisms, Greek population, HLA-B
Number of references:
155
